My name is Carlo DeVito, and I am the author of East Coast Wineries: A Complete Guide from Maine to Virginia published by Rutgers University Press. This blog is dedicated to primarily east coast wines and wineries including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. It will also feature products and information from other regions.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Comb Vodka (NY)

Comb Vodka
is an artisan spirit distilled from honey.
Most vodka is made from corn, wheat or potatoes. The owners believe that the vodka they produce is only as good as what goes into it, so they start their process by making a wonderfully light and dry honey wine.

Why do they use honey?
Honey is expensive, it’s hard to work with and fermenting it can be difficult. So, why do they use it? Honey, like different grapes for wine, can provide a number of varietal options. Their honey is made from orange blossoms which contributes its unique character and allows them to create a perfectly balanced spirit.

Laura and Ed make Comb. Ed left corporate America and, relying on their savings and Laura’s economic and emotional support, he spent a year conducting wine making experiments, taking distillation classes in California and working in a small winery and distillery in Cognac, France. After much research and hard work, they found the right varietal honey and yeast combinations and the precise distillation technique to create an incredible honey based vodka they call Comb.

Ed claims he gets it right the first time.
They get concerned when we hear how many times vodka has been distilled. Four times, six times, nine times?! Continued heating of the alcohol can introduce undesired flavors and have an adverse affect on the final product. Fred distills the honey wine concentrate precisely and gently to capture its essence and character.

Comb has hints of orange as promised. It's got a big smooth round flavor. Really great mouth feel. One can absolutely see numerous vodka drinks made with his wonderful distillate. Smooth. Great on ice, or as a vodka martini. A very, very nice drink.

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About Me

Carlo DeVito is a long time wine lover, and author of books and magazine articles. He is the author of Wineries of the East Coast. He has traveled to wine regions in California, Canada, up and down the east coast, France, Spain and Chile. He has been a published executive for more than 20 years. He shepherded the wine book program of Wine Spectator as well as worked with Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Matt Kramer, Tom Stevenson, Evan Dawson, Greg Moore, Howard Goldberg, and many other wine writers. He has also published Salvatore Calabrese, Jim Meehan, Clay Risen, and Paul Knorr.
Mr. DeVito is the inventor of the mini-kit which has sold more than 100,000,000 copies world wide. He has also publisher such writers as Stephen Hawking, E. O Wilson, Philip Caputo, Gilbert King, James McPherson, John and Mary Gribbin, Thomas Hoving, David Margolick, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., John Edgar Wideman, Stanley Crouch, Dan Rather, Dee Brown, Susie Bright, and Eleanor Clift.
He is also the owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery, co-founder of the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, and president of the Hudson Valley Wine Country.
https://carlodevito.wordpress.com/